Static Website Security

G5 Cyber Security

2 weeks ago

TL;DR

Even a simple HTML/CSS website can be attacked. This guide covers common threats and how to protect against them, focusing on file integrity, content delivery networks (CDNs), and basic security practices.

1. Understanding the Risks

While static websites don’t have server-side code that attackers can directly exploit, they are still vulnerable. Common attack vectors include:

Defacement: Changing your website content.
Malware Injection: Injecting malicious JavaScript into your files.
Phishing: Hosting a fake login page to steal user credentials (if you link to external forms).
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Injecting scripts that run in visitors’ browsers. This is less common but possible if you allow user input into your static site via forms or other mechanisms.
Denial of Service (DoS): Overwhelming your server with traffic, making it unavailable.

2. File Integrity Monitoring

Protecting your files is the most important step. Any changes to your HTML, CSS, or JavaScript could indicate an attack.

Regular Backups: Create regular backups of your website files. Store these backups securely in a separate location (e.g., cloud storage, external hard drive).
Checksums/Hashes: Generate checksums (hashes) for each file and store them separately. Regularly compare the current file hashes to the stored ones. If they don’t match, it means the file has been altered.
```
md5sum yourfile.html
```
Version Control: Use Git (or another version control system) to track changes to your files. This allows you to easily revert to previous versions if needed.
- Initialize a repository:
```
git init
```
- Add and commit your files:
```
git add . && git commit -m "Initial commit"
```

3. Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

Using a CDN can improve security by distributing your website content across multiple servers.

Choose a Reputable CDN: Select a well-known and trusted CDN provider like Cloudflare, AWS CloudFront, or Netlify.
CDN Caching: Configure the CDN to cache your static assets (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images). This reduces the load on your origin server and makes it harder for attackers to modify content directly.
- Enable HTTPS/SSL: Ensure your CDN is configured to serve your website over HTTPS.

4. Basic Security Practices

HTTPS/SSL: Always use HTTPS to encrypt traffic between your server and visitors’ browsers. Obtain an SSL certificate (Let’s Encrypt is a free option).
Subresource Integrity (SRI): Use SRI tags when including external scripts or stylesheets. This ensures that the browser only loads files from trusted sources.
```
<script src="https://example.com/script.js" integrity="sha384-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
```

Content Security Policy (CSP): Implement a CSP to control the resources that your website is allowed to load. This can help prevent XSS attacks.

<meta http-equiv="Content-Security-Policy" content="default-src 'self'; script-src 'self' https://example.com; style-src 'self' https://example.com; img-src 'self' data:; font-src 'self'; object-src 'none';>

Regularly Scan for Malware: Use online tools to scan your website files for malware.
Minimize External Dependencies: Reduce the number of external scripts and stylesheets you include. Each dependency is a potential attack vector.

5. Server Security (If Applicable)

Even though it’s static, your server still needs protection.

Keep Software Updated: If you are using any server-side software (e.g., web server), keep it up to date with the latest security patches.
Firewall: Configure a firewall to block unauthorized access to your server.
Strong Passwords: Use strong, unique passwords for all server accounts.